Etch A Sketch Inventor Dies at Age 86

Andre Cassagnes, the man responsible for inventing the venerable Etch A Sketch, a toy that inspired countless children ever since it was introduced in 1960, has died at age 86 in France.

According to the Ohio Art Co., the toy's manufacturer, Cassagnes died in a Paris suburb on Jan. 16 due to undisclosed causes.

"Etch A Sketch has brought much success to the Ohio Art Company, and we will be eternally grateful to Andre for that. His invention brought joy to so many over such a long period of time," said Ohio Art president Larry Killgallon.

At one time an electrical technician, Cassagnes developed the idea after peeling a decal off a light switch plate. He noticed that graphite clung to the thin sheet of plastic and was easily marked with a pencil. From there, the Etch A Sketch was born.

Although the popularity of the toy waned somewhat in recent years due to video games, it saw an increase in sales after being featured in the first two 'Toy Story' movies. It also gained some notoriety last year when an aide likened Mitt Romney's changing campaign strategy to erasing an Etch A Sketch.

Enjoy some amazing Etch A Sketch art below as we pay tribute to Cassagnes' legacy.